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"There's a lot of things that Richard did well," Belichick said in his first remarks since Sunday's written statement announcing the trade for Oakland's first-round draft pick in 2011, "but that's the way it is and we're moving forward and our team's moving forward."

He refused to say whether the trade had been completed in the wake of Seymour's failure to report to the Raiders on Monday and Tuesday, although the defensive end was listed on the Raiders roster on its Web site.

Oakland coach Tom Cable said Seymour wants to be with the team but first had to resolve some issues with New England.

Asked if the deal was done, Belichick noted that the Patriots no longer had the rights to Seymour and said that the status of the trade was "not a topic that I'm going to address."

The NFL wouldn't talk about it either.

"Any comment at this time would have to come from the teams," league spokesman Greg Aiello said Tuesday

In the Patriots statement Sunday, Belichick praised Seymour.

"From nearly the day he arrived in 2001, Richard Seymour established himself as one of our premier players for nearly a decade," Belichick said then. "His presence has been felt as a force on the field, a respected man off it and a multiyear champion."

Seymour was taken with the sixth overall draft pick in 2001 and began a string of five consecutive Pro Bowl appearances in the 2002 season. He played key roles on three Super Bowl-winning teams.

"We have a lot of good leaders on our team and especially on the defensive side of the ball," Belichick said. "No doubt about it, it's different, but I think it's good."

Wilfork, in the last year of his contract, wants an extension.

Director of player personnel Nick Caserio said in a conference call that he had no comment on whether money saved from Seymour, who is scheduled to make $3.7 million in 2009, the final year of his deal, would help in negotiating with Wilfork.

Defensive coordinator Dean Pees said he was very busy preparing for the Bills game and wouldn't talk about whether Belichick had asked for his input on the trade.

"This is not going to be an interview about Richard," Pees said politely in a conference call. "It's really about Buffalo and whoever we have here" to face the Bills.